Self-supporting structures having active materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10710053-B2
Application number	US-201715826269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A method and system for manufacturing and using a self-supporting structure in processing unit for adsorption or catalytic processes. The self-supporting structure has greater than 50% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure to provide an open-celled structure providing access to the active material. The self-supporting structures, which may be disposed in a processing unit, may be used in swing adsorption processes and other processes to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing unit comprising:
a housing forming an interior region;
a self-supporting structure disposed within the interior region, wherein the self-supporting structure has greater than 50% by weight of an active material in the self-supporting structure, and wherein the self-supporting structure is an open-celled structure configured to provide one or more defined channels for fluid flow paths through the self-supporting structure, and wherein the self-supporting structure consists essentially of the active material and a silica binder material; and
a plurality of valves secured to the housing, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to control fluid flow along a flow path extending between the self-supporting structure and a location external to the housing;
wherein the self-supporting structure is formed by:
creating a template for a self-supporting structure;
disposing a mixture within the template, wherein the mixture has greater than 50% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure and the silica binder material;
curing the combination of the template and the mixture to form a self-supporting structure that is maintains a solid form; and
removing the template from the self-supporting structure, wherein the one or more defined channels are based on the template.

2. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is a cyclical swing adsorbent bed unit configured to remove contaminants from a gaseous feed stream that passes through the one or more defined channels in the self-supporting structure.

3. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the self-supporting structure has greater than 60% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure.

4. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the self-supporting structure has greater than 70% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure.

5. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit further comprises a flow distributor disposed between the self-supporting structure and the plurality of valves.

6. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to maintain a pressure from 5 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) and 1,400 psia.

7. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the self-supporting structure has a low thermal mass.

8. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more defined channels comprise two or more channels that are substantially parallel.

9. The processing unit of claim 1 , wherein the self-supporting structure has a plurality of pores formed in the active material by removing a plurality of polyethylene spheres from the active material to form the plurality of pores.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Brody John F
• Wooler Bradley
• Altera Francesco J
• Tindall Paul J
• Du Yi

Classifications

• B22F3/00

  Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the manner of compacting or sintering; Apparatus specially adapted therefor {; Presses and furnaces} · CPC title

• B22F10/18

  by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF] · CPC title

• Y02C20/40

  of CO2 · CPC title

• B01J35/60

  characterised by their surface properties or porosity · CPC title

• B01J37/08

  Heat treatment {(B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence)} · CPC title